LONATE POZZOLO – «Among the 13 thousand signatures there are also those of most of the doctors and paramedics on duty at Sant’Antonio Abate. Convinced, like us, that a hospital in Gallarate must be maintained». He says it in front of the cameras of Malpensa24 Web TV Massimo Gnocchi, municipal councilor of Objective Comune Gallarate, the civic list that promoted the petition to save the Sant’Antonio Abate hospital. «We are not asking that two identical and perfectly functioning hospitals be kept alive. It would be enough an immediate assistance facility for critical and chronic issues. But the presence of a hospital in the third city of the Province must be saved.”
The full interview
The match, for the OCG group leader, is played onProgram Agreement for the “disposal” of Sant’Antonio Abate hospital: «There are new departments that should be kept active. And a significant presence of clinics should be expected.” In short, for the promoters of the petition the future of a community house with 20 beds is not enough that the Region has planned for what will remain of the current hospital. And the battle continues: «With the passage to the health commission, there was no resolution but not even an archiving of our petition – recalls Massimo Gnocchi – the objective is to discuss it in the regional council».
The response to Mayor Cassani
«To say that the Lombardy Region is doing exactly what the petition on the maintenance of the Gallarate hospital asks for is not true – adds Massimo Gnocchi – for now the fate of Sant’Antonio Abate, in fact, is closure and telling the opposite does not solve the health problem. However, Mayor Cassani did worse by saying that over 13 thousand signatures are “waste paper” because, beyond the merit, behind these words the intolerance of those who cannot tolerate ordinary people democratically expressing their opinions is evident on such a delicate topic as local healthcare. It’s embarrassing to hear words like that. On behalf of all the signatories I feel like thank some regional councilors (Ferrazzi, Licata and Astuti) for wanting to remind us that after the audition it is necessary, as per the regulations, to give a response in the health commission to all these signatures. In this regard, given that we are in the election campaign, I think it wouldn’t be bad if the local candidates expressed their opinion on this issue. For example Mantovani did it and his words were encouraging given that he clearly said that Sant’Antonio Abate, like the current hospital in Busto, they cannot be “expropriated” and who indeed must maintain a relationship with the territory. That is, focusing on Gallarate, which essentially does not have to close or at least not all services.”
: «The battle to save the Gallarate hospital doesn’t stop»){kind=link}